Dispenser for powdered and granular material



July 29, 1969 c. o. CLEMENT 3,458,091

DISPENSER FOR POWDERED AND GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Jan. 16, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M Q SLJ !\\'r;.\"mR. CARROL O. CIEMENT A T TORNEYS July 29, 1969 c. o. CLEMENT DISPENSER FOR POWDERED AND GRANULAR MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.

INVENTOR. CARROL O. CLEMENT Mug/Wu AT TORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,458,091 DISPENSER FOR POWDERED AND GRANULAR MATERIAL Carrol 0. Clement, 4711 Central St., Kansas City, Mo. 64112 Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,674 Int. Cl. G01f 11/24; B65d 47/26 US. Cl. 222-349 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure embodies a dispenser for powdered or granular material having valving means for measuring a desired quantity of the material through a discharge opening upon rotation of an actuator which rotates the valving means, and also means for cleaning the valving means and bottom of the container for the material as the valving means is rotated therein.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a dispenser having a partition or bottom for the material, with a discharge opening through which the powdered or granular material is dispensed, and a spring urged dog or pawl for movement across the valving means and the partition over the opening to keep the partition clean of the powdered material, and thus move it through the opening in measured amounts.

This invention is an improvement over my Patent No. 2,723,780 of Nov. 15, 1955.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide cleaning of the bottom or partition between the container of the powdered material and the bottom or housing portion of the device by movement of the valving means for dispensing the powdered or granular material through an opening in the partition by movement of the valving means either by hand or by a toothbrush or the like.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspectvie view of the dispenser used for dispensing toothpowder or the like by use of a toothbrush as an operator of the valving means.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view, particularly illustrating the pawl mechanism and its movement over the partition of the valving means.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating the pawl as it passes over the opening in the partition.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 33, particularly illustrating the toothbrush as an operator of the valve and the stop means.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view, particularly illustrating the pawl for the valving means with an actuator shown in at rest position.

FIG. 7 is a modified form of the valve operating means.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the valve mechanism, and particularly illustrating the pawl for cleaning of the partition or bottom of the container for the material.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional View particularly illustrating the lever operating mechanism and spring therefor.

Referrign more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention for dispensing powdered or granular material and particularly toothpowder, wherein there is included a container 2 mounted upon a housing Patented July 29, 1969 ice or base 3. The container may be of cylindrical form as indicated at 4, mounted upon the base 3. The base 3 has a bottom 5, a top 6 forming a partition between the base and the cylindrical portion 2 and a bottom for the container. The base has an upstanding wall or flange 7 provided with a shoulder 8 and the cylindrical housing 4 is fitted thereover as indicated at 9, FIG. 3.

The space between the bottom '5 of the housing and the partition -6 forms a compartment 10 for the actuating mechanism, and the cylindrical member 4 forms a compartment 11 for the powdered or granular material. The cylindrical member 4 has an open top through which the powder is poured into the compartment 11, and a removable cover 12 is provided therefor. The partition 6 has an opening 13 offset from the axial center of the compartment and through which the powder is dispensed, as later described.

The casing may be formed of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic, and when plastic is used it may be transparent, whereby the contents and the actuating mechanism are visible through the wall of the casing.

The side wall 14 of the housing or base 3 is provided with an opening 15 between the bottom 5 and the partition 6, for insertion of the head 16 of a toothbrush on which the powder is dispensed from the discharge opening 13. If desired, the housing may be provided with a bracket or the like (not shown) by which the dispenser may be attached to a suitable support (also not shown).

Powdered or granular material tends to pack within containers, and to assure positive feed of the powder or granular material through the discharge opening 13, and to provide valving means for controlling the opening, the upper compartment is provided with an agitator 17 which is of rotary type and has a shaft 18. The shaft 18 is positioned axially within the dispenser and has a lower portion 19 extending through an opening 20 in the center of the partition 6, and has its lower end attached to the bottom 5 by a suitable support (not shown).

The agitator 17 mounted on the shaft 18 has a body portion 21 and radially extending upstanding blades 22. The outer ends 23 of the blades 22 or those portions which move over the discharge opening 13 are turned as at 24 to lie parallel with planes extending through the axis of rotation, with the outer end 23 of one blade at one side of the rotor being offset from the corresponding blade at the opposite side of the rotor, as shown in FIG. 2.

Connected with the end portion 23 of each blade on the trailing side thereof is a substantially fiat tongueshaped valving member 25 which moves into valving relation with the discharge opening 13 for interrupting flow of powder and for uncovering the opening to dispense powder onto a toothbrush that is inserted through the opening 15 of the housing 3 and in position to receive the powder on the bristles thereof.

Oscillatably mounted within the compartment 10 is an actuator 26 in the form of a bell crank lever having an arm 27. The other arm 28 of the bell crank extends inwardly across the compartment 10, as shown in FIG. 5. The arm 28 has an enlarged end 29 provided with a central opening 30 for engaging around a sleeve 31 pressed onto the shaft 18 and rotatable or oscillatable therewith. The sleeve member is provided with notches 32 around the periphery thereof, and there are five in number, the same number as there are blades on the valve means, as shown in FIG. 2.

It will be noted in FIG. 5 the actuator is normally retained in an at rest position with the arm 27 in contact with the inner wall of the compartment 10. Actuator 26 is provided with a head 33 to provide an abutment for the head 34 of the toothbrush, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

The shaft 18 is normally retained with the agitator in position so that one of the valve tongues 25 is closing the discharge opening 13. This is effected by the notches 32 in the sleeve 31 on the shaft 18, the teeth being successively engaged by a spring leaf click or pawl 35.

A coil spring 36 surrounds the shaft 18 and has an end 37 engaging against a stop member 38 on the arm 28. The upper end of the spring has an end 39 engaging against a rod 40 depending from the partition 6, as shown in FIG. 3. The bottom of the housing 3 is provided with a rib 41 having a stop 42 for the arm 28 when the actuator is manipulated through movement of the toothbrush.

Mounted on the wall 43 of the cylindrical wall 2 is a wall member 44 having an arm 45 extending inwardly into the container 11 and spaced slightly above the agitator 17. Pivotally mounted on an arm 46 by a pin 47 is a pawl or dog 48 depending from the wall 45 and extending toward the partition 6. The pawl 48 is spring urged toward the partition 6 by a spring 49 having one end engaged in a keeper 50 (FIG. 4) and its other end engaging under an enlarged portion 51 of the pawl as shown in FIG. 4, so that the pawl will always be urged towards the partition 6. The purpose of this pawl is to clean the agitator blades and the upper side of the partition 6 or bottom of the container 3 of the powder or granular material and dispense the same through the discharge opening 13 at each operation of the valve means.

In using a dispenser constructed and assembled as described, it may be mounted on a suitable support, with the opening 15 in convenient position for insertion of the head of a toothbrush within the housing and against the end of the actuator. Powder is supplied through the open top of the compartment 11 and the cover replaced to keep the powder in sanitary condition. To dispense the powder, the bristle end of the toothbrush is placed against the head 33 with the bristles uppermost, and a forward thrust is supplied to the handle to position the end of the brush head against the head of the actuator to press against action of the spring 36. This movement of the actuator rotates the shaft 18, through engagement of the pawl 35 in the respective notch 32, which in turn rotates the valving means or agitator a sufficient distance to effect uncovering of the discharge opening 13 and to effect movement of a succeeding blade of the agitator across the discharge opening to push the powder therethrough onto the bristles of the brush, and carry the succeeding valve tongue into closing relation with the opening.

Inward movement of the toothbrush is limited by the head of the actuator engaging against the stop member 42 which extends upwardly from the bottom 5 of the housing. The pawl 35 will be released from the notch in which it is set when the actuator 26 is moved or rotated clockwise by the spring 36, and it will engage another notch 32 when the actuator 26 moves to the at rest position as indicated in FIG. 6. Reengagement of the pawl 35 with the next succeeding notch will prevent the actuator from further movement until the next operation of the toothbrush against the head.

While the blades and tongues generally will agitate the powder or granular material within the container 11, it will sometimes not freely dispense through the discharge opening 13. The cleaning of the bottom of the partition of the top side, which is the bottom of the container 11, is accomplished by the pawl or dog 48. As the actuator rotates the shaft, it also rotates the agitator 17 and valving means so that the tongue will move away from the opening 13 to dispense the material therefrom, and when the succeeding tongue then moves over the opening 13 as shown in FIG. 3, movement of the actuator will cause the lower end 51 of the pawl 48 to move from the rib 52 and then contact the bottom 53 of the partition 6, as shown in FIG. 4, and scrape across the bottom to clean the powder therefrom and move the same through the opening 13. As it moves against the upstanding portion 22 of the blade, it will then move backward against the action of the spring 49 to again assume the position as shown in FIG. 3. I have found by this mechanism the powder will be kept clean from the bottom of the container and more positively be passed through the discharge opening 13.

In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, I have shown a modified form of the invention, and it is particularly adapted for manual operation of the actuator to dispense powdered or granular material from a container, and in this instance it is particularly adaptable for dispensing of powdered coffee and the like directly from the container in which it is purchased by the consumer.

In this form of the invention, the numeral 60 designates a housing having a base portion 61 spaced therefrom and secured to the wall 63 of the housing, as indicated at 64. The housing 60 includes a recess portion 65, and mounted therein is a valving means and agitator 66 substantially similar to the agitator 17 in the preferred form of the invention. The agitator is mounted on a shaft 67 which extends through an opening 68 in the bottom 69 of the housing and is secured in an opening 70 of the bottom or base portion 61, as shown in FIG. 8. Spaced from the recess portion 65 is an annular recess 71 for receiving the open end of a container or the like 72 as shown in dotted lines, also in FIG. 8. The container may contain any kind of powdered or granular material, such as coffee, chocolate, or other material desired to be dispensed.

Mounted in the space 73 between the base 61 and the housing 60 is an actuator or lever mechanism 74 having a handle member 75 extending outwardly from such base. The inner end of the actuator 74 is enlarged and has an opening therein engaging the shaft 67 and is pressed thereonto so that it will rotate with the shaft. The shaft is provided with notches 76 spaced around the periphery thereof and a click member or pawl 77 is provided having one end engaged in a slot in the handle, as shown in FIG. 9. A spring member 78 is provided having one end secured in a slot 79 of the lever 74 as shown in FIG. 9 and spaced from the pawl 77 and running parallel therewith. The spring is curved to fit the enlarged end portion of the actuator as at 80 (FIG. 9). The free end of the spring is partially coiled and is secured to a member 81. A stop member 82 is provided on the base 61 so that the spring 78 will spring urge the lever against the stop member, also as shown in FIG. 9, until used by the operator.

The agitator 66 is provided with blades 83 having tongues 84 extending therefrom and having a sloping upper surface 85 and a fiat lower surface so that the tongues will engage over the discharge opening 86 through which the material is dispensed, as in the preferred form of the invention.

Mounted upon the upper wall 87 of the housing 60 is a housing 88 having an upstanding wall 89 and a depending lip 90 forming a space for receiving the end 91 of a pawl 92 of spring steel or the like which normally engages the bottom 93 of the recess 65 and sweeps or scrapes the powdered material therefrom and into the opening 86, as in the preferred form of the invention.

In operation of this form of the invention, the hand member 75 is moved in a clockwise direction and rotates the shaft 67 through engagement of the pawl 77 in the respective notch 76, and as the shaft 67 moves with the lever 74, the valving means or agitator is also rotated, the tongue 84 of the valving member will move away from the opening 86 and at the same time the end 94 of the pawl 92 will move down the sloping surface 85 of the tongue and scrape the powdered material therefrom, and also engage the bottom 83 of the recess to remove any material remaining thereon through the opening 86. As the lever 74 is moved rearwardly or in a counterclockwise direction by the action of the spring 78, the pawl 77 is released from the notch 76 in which it was set and as the lever 74 moves to the at rest position, shown in FIG. 9, the pawl 77 will engage the next notch 76 and prevent reverse movement of the shaft after the movement of the lever.

The housing 88 includes a forwardly and downwardly extending arm 95 and provides a cover in which the pawl 92 may operate, the housing preventing the material from entering the opening through which the pawl extends into the recess, and thereby allowing only a measured amount gathered between the blades to be dispensed through the opening 86.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved apparatus for removal of powdered or granular material from the bottom of a dispensing container, whereby the material will be scraped or moved from the bottom through the opening therein.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described two forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing apparatus comprising:

(a) a tubular container having a side Wall;

(b) a partition extending horizontally across said container to provide an upper compartment for containing material to be dispensed and a lower compartment, said partition having a discharge opening therethrough;

(c) a vertical shaft having a portion journaled in said partition;

((1) a material agitator mounted on said shaft and rotatable in said upper compartment;

(e) valving means connected to and operable with said agitator, said valving means including a plurality of upstanding blades each having a portion turned to lie parallel with a plane extending through the axis of rotation of said agitator and each having a fiat tongue-shaped portion adapted to normally overlie said discharge opening for controlling flow of material through said discharge opening, said tongue portion having ribs longitudinally thereof, said ribs each having a sloping upper surface;

(f) an actuator movably carried in said lower compartment;

(g) a driving connection between said actuator and said agitator;

(h) a wall member mounted within said upper C0111- partment, said wall member being on said side wall above said partition;

(i) an arm mounted on said wall member extending inwardly into said upper compartment;

(j) a pawl member mounted on said arm above said valving means;

(k) spring means urging said pawl member toward an upper surface of said partition;

(1) said pawl member having a portion positioned to move over said blades of said agitator to clean said blades and then contact an upper face of said partition to clean said partition upon movement of said agitator through operation of said actuator; and

(m) resilient means for returning said actuator to an at rest position.

2. A dispensing apparatus comprising:

(a) a container having a closed end and an open end;

(b) a base member having a compartment therein and an annular recess spaced from said compartment, said recess being adapted to be engaged by said open end of said container, said compartment having a bottom having a discharge opening therethrough;

(c) a vertical shaft having a portion journaled in said bottom of said compartment;

(d) a material agitator in said compartment, said agitator being mounted on said shaft;

(e) valving means connected to and operable with said agitator, said valving means including a plurality of upstanding blades each having a tongue extending therefrom said tongue normally overlying said discharge opening, said tongue having a sloping upper surface;

(f) an actuator movably carried below said discharge opening;

(g) a driving connection between said actuator and said agitator;

(h) means for effecting movement of said actuator to move said valving means away from said discharge opening;

(i) an upper wall in said base member, said upper wall having an opening therethrough;

(j) a housing mounted on said upper wall;

(k) a leaf spring having one end mounted in said housing, said leaf spring extending through said opening in said upper wall and being normally biased to engage said bottom of said compartment whereby said leaf spring moves over said blades and down said sloping upper surface of said tongue and then contacts an upper face of said bottom of said compartment to clean said upper face upon movement of said agitator through operation of said actuator; and

(l) resilient means for returning said actuator to an at rest position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,345,865 7/ 1920 Little 222222 1,965,741 7/1934 Jameson 222-422 X 2,723,780 11/1955 Clement 222239 X 2,750,072 6/1956 Duncan 222-239 X 3,172,579 3/ 1965 Kelley et al. 222-225 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 222350, 360, 370, 476 

